Falling in Love with Farmed Seafood

Is there a better Valentine's Day date than cozying up with a warm bowl of hearty, local seafood with the ones you love? Choosing domestically produced seafood, wild and farmed, helps show your affection for working waterfronts.

We have a special place in our hearts for farm-fresh seafood. It's hard not to fall for savory mussels, steaming salmon, and succulent seaweeds at first sight!

Here are some of the ways NOAA experts show their love for American-grown seafood.

Developing a Love of Mussels Early

Michael Murphy, Communications Director, NOAA Fisheries

"I have been feeding our two children seafood since they were toddlers. They both have generally preferred mild fish throughout their childhood such as West Coast rockfish (preferably caught by dad). Now that we live on the East Coast, I usually buy (or catch) striped bass, cod, and blue catfish. You can imagine my delight a few years ago when our oldest asked to try the mussels my wife and I were enjoying at our favorite French bistro. Our mouths dropped when she proceeded to inhale almost the entire bowl!

Since many wild-caught fish can only be purchased fresh at certain times of the year, the good news is fresh mussels are readily available throughout the year in most major supermarkets across the country. They are also really easy and quick to make! The mussels we enjoyed recently ( pictured here ) were from a Rhode Island farm and we prepared them using a classic French recipe. I am now smart enough to know to buy enough for the parents and our 15-year-old to enjoy. Our 11-year-old is still not on board with the rest of her mussel-loving family but we know it is only a matter of time!"

Family Bonding on the Half Shell

Laura Hoberecht, Environmental and Fisheries Science Division Director, Northwest Fisheries Science Center

"I grew up eating oysters on the cold, foggy coast of Northern California. Every year, my family would host an oyster barbeque. We'd drive up to Tomales Bay and get a couple bushels of freshly harvested oysters for the party. My stepfather would get the grill going and roast the oysters 10-20 at a time. It's such an easy way to prepare oysters as the heat causes them to pop open-essentially doing the shucking for you. Pull off the top, add a dollop of garlic butter or barbeque sauce, let them simmer for a minute more, and voilȧ, perfection!

With a family of my own now, living in Washington, I've kept up the oyster barbeque tradition. We drive out to Willapa Bay for oysters and grill them for special celebrations like birthdays, graduations, and Valentine's Day. My kiddos LOVE oysters! I was recently back in California visiting my 87-year-old mother, and we decided to drive out to Tomales Bay for old times sake. We were blessed with a crisp sunny fall day. And of course, we enjoyed a few plates of barbecued and raw oysters on the half shell."

Oyster Stout Brew on Oʻahu

Tori Spence, Regional Aquaculture Coordinator, Pacific Islands Regional Office

"Seafood is incredibly versatile and offers lots of room for creativity! My family enjoys brewing beer and we've run a few fun experiments, some involving farmed oysters. I've always been a fan of stout beers, so a few years ago when oyster stouts seemed to be ALL the rage, my spouse tested out a recipe-despite my skepticism-around putting whole oysters in the boil.

The beer turned out to be amazing-the flavor profile was balanced and you could even get a little bit of briny goodness in there. It piqued our curiosity about the chemistry of adding oysters. Turns out it actually helps balance the pH and add a few mineral elements to the beer which can affect the mouthfeel. I never would have thought this would become a favorite but these wild umami flavors with a nutty, dry stout are perfect for any weather-and a great pairing with your favorite shellfish and time with the people you love."

A Very Fishy Valentine's Day

Megan Ewald, Communications Lead, Office of Aquaculture

"My fiancé and I moved in together on Valentine's Day a few years ago. Amidst the chaos of unhung art and cardboard boxes, we were exhausted but determined to celebrate. We caught the light rail to Pike Place Market, pushed past the tourists ogling fishmongers tossing salmon, and grabbed a pound of farmed blue mussels, herbs, and lemons. Back home, we rescued my Dutch oven from a box to make pesto mussels-a meal that has become a beloved Valentine's Day tradition.

This seafood love story is a significant shift for us. Both my fiancé I were vegetarians for a decade to reduce our environmental impacts. However, through my work at the Office of Aquaculture, I've learned that farmed seafood can be incredibly sustainable. Shellfish and seaweed filter everything they need from the ocean, and all aquaculture uses very little freshwater. Now, our diets have expanded to include oysters, mussels, and clams, and fish whenever I have the privilege of visiting farms. Love for the planet and a love for seafood aren't just compatible-they're a perfect match."

Sharing Shellfish and Sablefish

Ken Cain, Research Scientist, Northwest Fisheries Science Center

"I consider seafood a personal and professional passion. My family and I enjoy all types of seafood, and we love to prepare a wide range of farmed fish or shellfish at home! I've had the privilege of doing research in this wonderful field of aquaculture, specializing in finfish vaccine research and development, for years. At NOAA's Manchester Laboratory on the Puget Sound, I specifically work on developing and optimizing commercial farming methods for one of my favorite fish-sablefish, also known as black cod.

Sablefish is one of our favorite fish to eat. You can serve it as sushi, sashimi, ceviche, as well as smoked. Last year some Washington high school students developed an award-winning recipe for "miso" black cod that really captures the taste of the Northwest. We also just enjoy it grilled or pan seared lightly and over rice. Besides all the health benefits of farmed seafood, it is just fun to prepare and share with family and friends!"

A Sea Scallop Love Story

Gary Wikfors, Director of NOAA's Milford Laboratory and Chief of the Aquaculture Innovation Branch

"It started with a work trip to Maine. I was part of a group of scientists working to improve sea scallop farming. We visited Marsden Brewer, owner of PenBay Farmed Scallops, to talk about scallops and seed availability. As we pulled into the driveway, past his lobster boat, we were greeted by Marsden, his son and farming partner Bobby, and his wife Donna. The Brewers fed us a delicious lunch of homemade chowder and pie, and the conversation that blossomed introduced the idea for producing sea scallops on the half shell. I was intrigued, and determined to give them a try when they were in season.

I was on an email string with Marsden, Donna, my wife Woozie over the next few months. Donna and Woozie bonded over small-scale farming. Finally, in late fall, the petite scallops favored for half-shell consumption came to market. We placed an online order and they arrived the next day. We were greeted by beautiful little live scallops clapping their shells. We shucked a few. They were even better than we imagined, with a flavor that is both familiar from cooked scallops and unique in its intensity and brightness. We were hooked. Now treating ourselves to Maine farmed sea scallops is often a part of holiday celebrations. Heavenly! Writing this is making me hungry …"